Multiple-tub washing machine



July 10, 1923 l. D. LENGEL MULTIPLE TUB WASHING MACHINE Filed July 7, lsgl 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I i 2, L i.) iii/ 5 T T I l I I (1 H:- I

July 10, 1923- L46L3l8 l. D. LENGEL MULTIPLE T UB WASHING MACHINE Filed July 7, 1921 s sheets-sheet July 10, 1923 a I 1,461,318

r I. D. LENGEL MULTIPLE TUB WASHING MACHINE Filed July '7, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented July 10, 1923.

uNiT Eo STATES PATENT ,OFFlCE IRVIN D. LENGEL, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO KNOLL MANUFACTUR- ING 00., OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA, A GORI ORATION GE PENNSYLVANIA.

MULTIPLE-T113 ASHING MACHINE- Application filed July 7,

To all whom it mag concern:

' useful Improvementsin Multiple-Tub Washing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

ing machines adaptedfor domestic use and my general "object is to provide for cooperatively employing washing and wrlnglng mechanism having driving means common to both, in connection with a series of tubs va- 4 "'riably positioned jointly relative thereto 8% as to enable the advantageous effecting successive ,washing and rinsing operations in determined tubssimultaneously with wringing operations as required. The complete invention is fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof, and the novel features are clearly defined in the claims. 1

Figure 1, is a partly sectional elevation of a structure embodying the complete invention; the section being taken mainly on the line 11 of Figure 2, and certain of the parts being omitted or only sufficiently indicated to make clear the cooperative arrangement;

Figure 2, is a corresponding plan view; the series of jointly-adjusted tubs being indicated withoutshowing of the carrier-arm hub connection.

Figure 3, is a plan view of the -wringer arm, with a partial section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 indicating the" means provided for locking the same in rigidly adjusted position on the standard.

Figure 4, is a partial elevation at right angles to Figure 1, showing the agitator bearing bracket in cross-section on the line 4-4; of Figure 1.

Figure 5, shows a plan view of the tubcarrierhub and portions of connected spokearms.

Figure 6, is a plan view of the sectional tub cover. employed; the middle section shown being adapted to be carried by the swinging agitator arm without the separately applied side sections.

As shown in the drawings the complete structure is made up of separate parts so as to permit of conveniently disassembling the 1921. Serial No. 482,888.

basic tubing .10 'to which is fixedly secured a supporting sleeve 11 having supporting legs 12 fastened thereto: said sleeve 11 also .serving to support a rotary tub-carrier hub 15,

having a series of spoke-arms 16 removably one of a circular series of tubs 17. A motor base-plate 18 is fixed to the tubing 10 above the tub-carrier device, and the standard is k secured thereto, and each adapted to carry My invention relates particularly to washcontinued I by amotor-housing casting 20,

encircling an electric motor 21 fixed to the plate 18 as indicated and having a top tubing extension 10. I

A WI'inger-carrier arm 25, having spaced hub bands 26 rotatably mounted upon the standard portion 10, and carried by a toothed collar 28 fixed to the latter between said bands, is provided, with a handled locking device 29 pivoted to hub cars 30 so as-to engage any determined tooth of said collar to lock the arm in any rotatively adjusted position upon the standard. A wringer 32 having a driven roll 34 and aroll-discharge apron 33 arrangeable to discharge in either direction, is fixed tosaid arm 25.

a Fixed to the top of the standard is an agitator bearin bracket 10 in which is mounted a horizontal drive shaft 41 having a fixed belt wheel 11 adapted to be driven by the motor shaft 21 This bracket is shaped to form a protecting casing for said drive shaft 41; and its connection to the standard is effectcd by means of a cupped end portion i0 which is arranged to enclose a worm screw 4:1. fixed to one end of drive shaft 10, and

a meshing gear 45 fixed to a vertically mounted gear axle 4G. The bracket portion 40 i's shown as rigidly secured to the standard by means of a fitted boss 10 thereon extending into the latter, and as being formed separatelyfrom the main bracket portion 40, which however is rigidly connected thereto;

Rotatably mounted upon a cover plate 40 on the cupped bracket portion 40 is a wringer-gear casing 50, in which is. mounted a horizontal coupling shaft 51 arranged in the plane of the wringer roll 34: and adapted to be suitably coupled to the latter. This coupling shaft 51 is provided with spacedapart bevel gears 52, 53 arranged in mesh with a gear wheel 54 fixed to the vertical gear axle 46; and also with an intermediate clutch sleeve 54, which is shown in disenend thereof so as to carry the attached agitav,

gaged position in Figure 11 but may be moved .by a suitable lever 54 so as to cause rotation of the wringer roll in either direc-' tion as desired.

Swingably mounted upon the end of the fixed bracket 40 is an agitator arm 60, pivoting at the axis of the drive shaft 41 andhaving an agitator shaft 61 mounted at the free to'r device 62 into a positioned tub when the arm is lowered in its vertical swinging plane. Oscillating motion is imparted to this agitator device from the drive shaft 41, by means of a worm screw 63 on the extending portion of said shaft upon which the arm 60 is ivot'ably mounted as indicated; said worm eing arranged in constant mesh with a worm wheel 64 mounted at 65 on thearm 60, and said wheel having a crank arm 66 carrying a rack-bar 67 held-in engagement with a toothed wheel 68 on the agitator shaft 61 substantially as heretofore employed; but provision being made in usual manner for loosening or tightening said worm screw 63 upon the drive shaft by means of a clutch lever 70, so as to make the rotation of the drive shaft 41 effective or ineffective upon the agitator as may be desired.

In order to rovide for convenient access to any tub W cm the agitator is in place therein, I employ a sectional tub cover or lid; which, as shown in Figure 6, is-preferably formed in three sections so that the middle one, 72, may be carried upon the agitator shaft 61 and thus be raised and lowcred with the swmgin agitator arm 60,

'whilethe side sections $2 and 72 may be independently placed or removed as desired; the middle section 72 being thus adapted to carry the Weight of the lowered agitator mechanism, independently of the separate lid sections 72 and 72 and also of any stops provided .on the fixed standard-bracket 40 for positively limiting the swing of the agitator arm. Each of the tub-carrying spokearms 16 is independently attachable to the rotary hub 15 by means of headed projections 16 engageable in vertical peripheral recesses 15" of-the hub so as to rigidly con-' nect it to the latter while permitting of its ready removal when desired.

It will be readily understood that the horizontal drive shaft 41 may be continuously rotated, and be' made effective in driving either the agitator or the wrin'ger, or both, as desired; any one of the series of tubs provided being placed in operative relation to the agitator as desired and so held by an arm-engaglng catch 80, and the relation of the wringer to any determined tub or tubs being independently adjustable while in operative connection with the common drive shaft; so that the several operations of filling, washing, rinsing and wringing may be carried on simultaneously or separately in the several tubs in the most advantageous way. The complete machine provides a well-balanced structure, having the operating parts neatly encased for safety and efii cient lubrication, and always conveniently. operable while at thesame time adapted to be readily disassembled for compact storage.

What I claim is:

l. A washing'machine comprising a central standard having a bearing bracket fixed thereto, a radially arranged agitator frame on said bracket swingable in a vertical plane thereon and carrying a rotative agitator device, a drive shaft horizontally mounted in said bracket, an agitator drive mechanism carried by said swingable frame and opera tively engageable with said drive shaft, and means for supporting a circular series of tubs in determined operative relation to said agitator device 2. A washing machine comprising a central standard having a bearing'bracket fixed thereto, a radially arranged agitator frame on said bracket swingable in a vertical plane thereon and carrying a rotative agitator device, a drive shaft horizontally mounted in ,.said bracket, an agitator drive mechanism carried by said swingable frame and operatively engageable with said drive shaft, and means for supporting a circular series of tubs in determined operative relation to said agitator device; said swingable agitator frame carrying a .tub-cover section adapted to form a support therefor upon a tub and a partial cover only for the latter.

3. A washing machine comprising a central standard having a fixed bearing-bracket with a horizontal drive shaft mounted therein and an agitator mechanism swingable thereon in operative connection with said drive shaft; a motor fixedly mounted on said standard in operative connection with said tator and tub-supporting mechanisms, a-

shaft-bearing bracket fixed to said standard, a horizontal drive shaft mounted on said bracket and having a projecting end portion provided with a worm gear and a swingable agitator arm on said bracket carrying agitator mechanism arranged in,

continuous engagement with said worm tator arm and agitator drive mechanism, a

tub-carrying hub rotatably mounted on said standard and formed with a series of pe- 10 ripheral arm-engaging recesses, a series of detachable tub-supporting bracket arms having recess-engaging projections and adapted to form'rigid spoke extensions of said hub, and a movable arm-engaging catch adapted to hold any one of said rotatably adagitator.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.v

IRVIN D. LENGEL.

'15 justable arms in operative relation to the 

